Rick Tocchet joined the Vancouver Canucks at a vulnerable time for the club. But since then, he's turned this team around and earned himself the NHL's Jack Adams Award. The Vancouver Canucks came within one win of the Western Conference final with a core that could lead them to a successful future. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA2Njk5NjAwNjUwNzA4NDE0/usatsi_23297331_168400847_lowres.jpg] The Vancouver Canucks came within one win of the Western Conference final with a core that could lead them to a successful future. There was a time when the Vancouver Canucks were a formidable opponent and one of the best teams in the NHL year after year. That time has returned. Everyone remembers the 2010-11 Canucks team, led by the Sedin twins and Roberto Luongo, that won the Presidents’ Trophy with 54 wins and 117 points and made it to a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup final before losing to the Boston Bruins. That loss was devastating because it marked the end of the road for that Canucks core. They made the playoffs in three of their next four seasons but only to suffer devastating first-round exits while being the higher seed in all three series. Then mediocrity started to hit the Vancouver organization as they struggled offensively, and the only thing fans had to cheer for was the going-out party of their beloved long-serving Swedish twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Change came to the Canucks, and they did surprisingly put forth a more competitive season in 2019-20 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In the playoff bubble out in Edmonton, Alberta, Vancouver won their play-in matchup against Minnesota and then defeated the St. Louis Blues in six games in the next round. However, mediocrity struck again, and the Canucks were good enough to avoid getting good draft lottery odds but bad enough to miss the playoffs for the next three seasons. The "Bruce there it is" chants for former coach Bruce Boudreau made many nights at Rogers Place lively. However, a new voice was needed behind the bench, and in came the rugged Scarborough, Ont., native Rick Tocchet. His presence was immediate, and the Canucks started to play with more structure, intensity and passion. Tocchet can push the right buttons and create a sense of belonging, whether you are playing in a more defensive, checking role further down the lineup or, like J.T. Miller, as one of the best players on the team needing an extra push to thrive in his current role as the team’s first line center. He knows how to get through to his players and make them better. Going from 83 points in 2022-23 to 109 this season, and lowering the goals against from 298 to 223, speaks to Tocchet’s coaching ability. Vancouver came up short in the second round against the Edmonton Oilers, but they put up a strong fight. They relied on their third-string goaltender, Arturs Silovs, to occupy the crease due to Thatcher Demko’s injury. He performed remarkably, given the circumstances. Even their top goal-scorer in the playoffs, Brock Boeser, could not play in Game 7 due to blood clots. The Canucks have many decisions to make regarding their pending UFAs, but the core of the team will all be returning. Elias Pettersson will enter the first year of his eight-year $92.8-million contract. J.T. Miller is locked up until 2029-30. Expected Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes has three years left on his deal, and Thatcher Demko has two years left on his contract. Brock Boeser is entering the final year of his contract, but after the performance he put forth in the playoffs for them, I would expect them to engage in extension talks with him once July 1 hits. The same can be said for pending RFA Filip Hronek, who has become a perfect defensive partner to Quinn Hughes on their blueline. I would also expect them to try to re-sign Nikita Zadorov, who broke out big for them in the playoffs. If they can reach a deal with him and Hronek, they could head into next season with a strong top four on their defense consisting of Hughes, Hronek, Carson Soucy, and Zadorov. The Canucks have a projected cap space of approximately $23.7 million [https://puckpedia.com/team/vancouver-canucks], so they have the space and money to negotiate with the team's pending free agents. Dakota Joshua became an extremely reliable two-way player for Tocchet this season and I can’t imagine him not returning with the team next year. Elias Lindholm is the big question mark. He initially struggled at first when he got to Vancouver, but he proved his worth in the playoffs, recording 10 points in 13 games. He is expected to be one of the top free agents if he hits the market. However, the President of Hockey Operations, Jim Rutherford, knows him very well seeing as he drafted Lindholm fifth overall in Carolina. With a core comprising of Pettersson, Miller, Hughes, Demko, and potentially Boeser, alongside one of the best coaches in the entire league, the Vancouver Canucks have solidified their position as a potential top team in the West, and league for years to come.
